se poky F. C.'s. You'll never have a bit of fun
if you train with them."

They went back to the building in which they had supped and upstairs to
one of the assembly rooms. The stairway and hall were well filled with
girls now, and several of them nodded smilingly to Ruth and Helen; but
their escorts did not let the chums stop at all, ushering them at once
into the room where the Up and Doing clan was gathering.

Mary Cox left Heavy to introduce the newcomers while she went at once
to the rostrum and with two or three of the other girls--who were
evidently officers of the club, likewise--held a short executive
session in secret. By and by Mary rapped on the desk for order, and
the girls all took seats. Ruth, who was watchful, saw that the company
numbered scarcely a score. If these were all the members of the club,
she wondered how many of the Briarwood girls belonged to the rival
association.

The meeting, as far as the business went, was conducted briskly and to
the point. Then it was "thrown open" and everybody--but the
visitors--talked just as they pleased. Helen and Ruth were made to
feel at home, and the girls were most lively and good-natured. They
heard that the Upedes were to have a picnic at a grove upon the shore
of Lake Triton on the Saturday week, and that Old Dolliver and his
ramshackle stage, and another vehicle of the same caliber, were engaged
for the trip.

"But beware of black marks, girls," warned Mary Cox. "Picolet will be
watching us; and you know that, this early in the term, two black marks
will mean an order to remain on the school premises. That old cat will
catch us if she can."

"Mean little thing!" said Heavy, wheezily. "I wish anybody but Miss
Picolet lived in our house."

From this Ruth judged that most of these Up and Doings were in the
dormitory in which she and Helen were billeted.

"I don't see what Mrs. Tellingham keeps Picolet for," complained
another girl.

"For a spy," snapped Mary Cox. "But we'll get the best of her yet.
She isn't fit to be a teacher in this school, anyway."

"Oh, she's a good French teacher--of course. It's her native tongue,"
said one of the other girls, who was called Belle Tingley.

"That's all very well," snapped Mary. "But there's something secret
and underhand about her. She claims to have nobody related to her in
this country; but if the truth were known, I guess, she has reason to
be ashamed of her family and friends. I've hea